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Yack and Back

Yack and Back

Summary

The Yack and Back ride is an epic. Connecting the stunning goldfield towns of Beechworth and Yackandandah, the ride takes you through the heart of the Yackandandah goldfields and includes a variety of terrain and bushland.

Type: Guided

Length: 50km

Time: Yack and Back is the longest of our ebike adventures and is a 5-6 hour guided adventure including a stop in Yackandandah for refreshments.

Gradient: It doesn’t matter – you will be on an e-bike! The climb up Twist Creek Road is steep but the E-MTBs eat it up. The key to this ride is not running your battery low too quickly. Your guide will give you some pointers on how to manage your battery life.

Price: $169pp + Guide ($270 per group)

The ride

The ride starts at the Old Beechworth Gaol and quickly has you climbing out of Beechworth towards the forests between Beechworth and Yackandandah. The ride has a considerable amount of climbing and you will notice subtle changes in the terrain and flora as you climb and descend at different points of the ride.

With Yackandandah at the half way point you can stop and have a good look around this awesome little town and grab something to eat and drink at any of the cafés or bakeries before tackling the second half of the ride.

You will be glad you are on an e-bike as you meander up the picturesque valley along Twist Creek Road and you will be REALLY glad you are on an e-bike as the road gets steeper and steeper.

The final part of Yack and Back rolls along the top of a ridgeline before a rollicking descent back into Beechworth which is a perfect end to this ride.

Navigating

This ride is only available with a Ride Republic guide. The forest area between the two towns can be confusing due to the plantation trees, the density of the plantings, and the poor road signposting. Your guide prevents you from getting lost and is there to provide you with reassuring support in the remote areas. (Also, with a guide you might also get to go some other spots only the locals know about. Shhh!)

What’s included

Hire of one of our E-MTBs

A coffee, tea or cold drink before the ride

Lunch in Yackandandah

A private Ride Republic guide who will ride with you and support you along the route

Your riding group will be provided with a bike lock and spare tubes and equipment to change a tyre if needed

Beechworth is the ideal escape for those
needing to recharge their batteries and reconnect with the body, mind and soul.
Discover for yourself the sights and sounds of the beautiful
surrounds of Beechworth.

The Old Beechworth Gaol

The
Old Beechworth Gaol is one of Australia’s most significant post European
cultural sites. Its role in the chain of events that led to the execution of
Ned Kelly is significant as it housed Ned’s mother, Ellen Kelly, many of the
Kelly sympathisers and Ned himself, alongside his brother Dan and the rest of
the Kelly gang.​

The
Old Beechworth Gaol is more than just the Ned Kelly story with many other
characters spending time behind bars, and more than a few characters who helped
keep them there.​

The
Rogues, Ratbags and Mongrel Dogs tour is the perfect way to get behind the
walls of the Old Beechworth Gaol and see what life would have been like
behind bars. Book a guided tour at www.oldbeechworthgaol.com.au

Lake Kerford

Lake Kerferd was created in 1862 to retain the waters of
the Hurdle Swamp for gold mining activities. Today it is Beechworth’s main
water supply.

Once the scene of annual rowing regattas, the lake and surrounding bushland is a treat for nature lovers, offering habitat to a rich diversity of animal and birdlife.

Pine Plantations

About half of the ride to Yackandandah is through plantation forest. The softwood plantations are scattered throughout North East Victoria with most of the local production going on to be made into building materials such as roof trusses and frames, MDF board and compound cladding.

Yackandandah Goldfields

Gold was discovered in Yackandandah in 1852 soon after the first
discoveries at Reid’s and Spring Creeks (Beechworth). William Howitt, one of
the first diggers on the scene, described finding gold ‘hanging in the roots of
the shrubs that we pulled up’ from the creek.

A tent town sprang up along the banks of the Yackandandah and
Commissioner’s Creeks, one of several tent towns in the area, some of which
continued beyond the life of the gold strikes, including Osborne’s Flat, Rowdy
Flat and Allan’s Flat, Whiskey Flat and Bell’s Flat.

After the first wave of alluvial gold seekers, entrepreneurs such as
Wallace and Fletcher arrived, installing sluicing barges employing men 24 hours
a day in shifts.

Yackandandah

One of Australia’s prettiest villages with a centre
classified by the national trust, Yackandandah is nestled in the foothills of
Stanley State Forest and steeped in the legacy of gold.

Today the town is home to many acclaimed artists,
from potters to painters, sculptors to stitchers. Wander the stunning
streets of Yack and discover unique artworks, crafts, music and antiques
in the eclectic mix of galleries, shops and studios.

Take some time out in Yack and enjoy a relaxed pace, the fruits of a vibrant and active community and an emerging events calendar.